the chateau, magnificent 17th century Balleroy Castle in Normandy, which was the inspiration for the palace of Versailles. It had been falling into disrepair for many years when Malcolm Forbes bought it in 1970. Kip refurbished the building over the course of two decades and now stays there roughly five times a year. The rest of the time, he lives in Timberfield with his wife of 43 years, Astrid, who is a scion of the German aristocratic family Heyl zu Herrnsheim. Their daughter, son-in-law and three grandchildren live in the neighboring house. In 1989 your father dedicated his book More Than I Dreamed to you. He wrote: “To son Christopher, whose friendship, love, genius and wit have been instrumental in making this life more than I dreamed.”
My father had a special relationship with each of us children. Because each of us inherited a little bit of him. More Than I Dreamed was about a lifetime of collecting. That’s why that book was dedicated to me – because of the shared passion. I was very touched. I had no idea – one day he gave me the proof of the page and I, of course, burst into tears. Please tell us about your special relationship.
What was it like to have Malcolm Forbes as
for the epiphany I had that it was time to start getting rid of things so that she wouldn’t have to send it all to the dumpster or auction. At some point we will have a tag sale here at Timberfield. Did you find it difficult to part with some of those things? In the first sales after my father died, it was difficult. Now it is almost cathartic, one almost cannot wait to get rid of things. It sort of feeds on itself. At first I was sentimental: this belonged to this person and this to this person, but now I just think weg, weg, weg (GG: that’s German for “out, out, out”). You had some serious festivities at this house. The 70th birthday of the magazine was at Timberfield and yes, that was heavy duty. There were 40 or 50 helicopters parked in the big field. For the magazine’s 75th birthday we went to Rockefeller Center and Radio City Music Hall and former President Reagan was there with President Gorbachev. This year will be the big one: the 100th anniversary of Forbes. How will you celebrate?
There will be a special issue of the magazine and stuff on the web. And then I assume in September there will be a special event. When you think about your childhood, what
When we were younger he was images come to mind? Playing monopoly the disciplinarian. My mother only had to and the occasional earthquake if anybody say: wait till your father gets home, and we was not happy with where the game was going. The most bonding experience was would start to behave again. In those days you were still allowed to get a spanking. driving across the country to Wyoming in But it was not like he was taking a belt and a station wagon. My parents, five children, my sister’s nanny and two dogs. In those whipping us, it was more the psychological buildup. And then, as we got older, and had days you didn’t have car seats for children, dinner with our parents and got more and so we were all crawling all over the place. I was in the back making sandwiches for more involved with them, one got to know him as a fun and interesting person who everyone. We used to drive out in the bewas happy to engage each of us in our parginning of the summer and came back in the middle of August. ticular interests. So he was actively involved? He often went How close are you and your siblings toon longer work trips but otherwise he was day? We all are still happily close. We have family meetings once a month, either by around. When we were younger we always had to go to church on Sunday and that was telephone or in person. We don’t always quite a production. My father, proud of his agree, but we make a decision when it’s about the business. Any dissention within Scottish heritage, made us wear kilts. And the family never impinges on the business. we had to learn to play the bagpipes. Twice This is very important. a year we could get our mother to conspire with us and say the kilts were at the dryIt sounds easy, but so many families fail at cleaner, but other then that, it was all your that, especially when there is substantial All of the Forbes children own Balleroy friends snickering about you wearing a money involved. You must be doing somecastle in Normandy, where their father liked thing right... skirt. It was certainly never boring when to land in a hot-air balloon. he was around! He was a dominating presI would say my parents did something right ence. When I was an undergrad at Princeton he allowed me to start as– the happiest legacy is that all of us do get along. It does not mean we sembling this incredible collection of English 19th century paintings. are best friends or the inlaws are all best friends. Simultaneously, he was also buying incredible documents that were of But you still talk to each other... interest to my two older brothers. He started collecting toy boats and Exactly. The sense of family is stronger than these forces that can ditoy soldiers, some contemporary art. You literally never knew what he vide you – with money usually being the first one. How did your parents do it? They were both so different: having this was going to come home with next. Some of it was stored here, some was at the offices in New York, some was on the boat, some was at quiet, sweet, understated mother and this outgoing, complex but largthe ranch in Colorado, some at the island in Fiji, some at the chateau er-than-life father gave us a good balance. We are all products of both in France. It was all over the place. There was never a lack of walls. and that’s why we all get along. Which, now, as we are continuing to downsize, I find challenging. Did they instil a sense of dynasty or legacy in you? I don’t think one Who did the inventory? Or did he know where everything was? No, really has a sense of dynasty or legacy. But checking out of places and he did not even pretend to know. My first job was to be the curator of hearing someone say: “Are you one of THE Forbes?,” that was always a nice thing. I know that some of my siblings are less comfortable with it the collection. Then, when I graduated and had to start the fine art of selling advertising, we hired a professional curator. There is still so – but you don’t get to pick your parents and in the lottery of life, I think much stuff. The books alone: there are masses in the library and in we got a pretty good deal. I remember going to the office the very first the bomb shelter, all initialled and dated by my father. Or take that tatime as a kid; getting off the elevator and seeing cut in the linoleum ble over there: you multiply that by dozens. But we are whittling our on the floor: Forbes. And I thought: wow, that is cool. Continued on page 184 way through it, slowly but surely. I know that my daughter is grateful
PHOTO: RETO GUNTLI (2)
a father?
www.gg-magazine.com
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